A.M. Roundup: Cuomo, Canada, back from brink

Good morning! The same sticky weatherremains. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be on the road today, touting his tax free proposal in Purchase, Utica and Syracuse. The cabinet will Cuomovangelize in Cazenovia and Batavia. Assemblyman Jim Tedisco will partner with police agencies to give out free ice cream to kids who wear bike helmets. (Note from Jimmy: ALWAYS wear a bike helmet.) The boards of Empire State Development and the Long Island Power Authority will meet today. Here are this morning’s headlines…

The Buffalo News: Call him Governor Disruption.//In the space of just two weeks, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has upended years of stalemate and dysfunction to produce in Western New York something that looks suspiciously like progress.//In mid-June, it was the standoff over casino revenues that the Senecas were withholding from New York and, by proxy, from Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Salamanca. Problem resolved.//On Wednesday, it was the confrontation over the lack of progress on the New York side of the Peace Bridge. After decades of failure and months of confrontation, that, too, was resolved.//Here’s what they had in common: a governor willing to disrupt long-standing patterns of behavior. In each case, he did it by acquiring a crowbar – of the metaphorical kind – and being prepared to use it. (BN)

“If the Moreland Act Commission gives the governor a series of recommendations that, for the first time, really get ahead of the chronic corruption problems, he’s in a very strong position to actually get those enacted, as opposed to the past where you’re kind of reacting and playing catch up,” said Bruce Gyory, a political consultant and an adjunct political science professor at SUNY Albany. (WSJ)

Schneiderman, in Syracuse, announced he would send $20 million to land banks around the state. His announcement prompted the sponsor of a defeated land bank in Albany County to reintroduce his bill. (TU/Post-Standard)

Bruce Gyory: The Senate coalition held — governmentally. But, the GOP side has some hard political calculations to make in the future. One thing is certain: If choice and campaign finance remain salient issues between now and November 2014, Republicans in swing areas such as Long Island will find themselves in key battles for control of the Senate. (Newsday)

I’m proud to announce that the LCA/TU softball team, the Cooperating Witnesses, won its first intramural game last night against the Assembly Republicans. I never would have thought Yancey Roy was such an all-star, and want to thank Rob Gavin for his leadership on this issue and the good work he does for the people of the State of New York. The score was 19-18, a veritable slow-pitchers duel. Glenn, I’m sure your finger will feel better after 4-6 weeks in a cast or brace…

Also: a source notes the Executive “Seals” cruised to their fourth win in a row, handly defeating the Assembly Democrats 11-5. The Seals fell behind early, but were propelled to victory by some big bats, a few flashes of leather in the infield, and clutch relief pitching after the Democrats’ starting pitcher was hobbled by a blistering line drive off the shin.